As you may have guessed, we’re all for helping the young ones get somewhere in this loopy doopy world. Lucky for you, we’ve been given the heads up about agIdeas 2011 newStar (http://www NULL.agideas NULL.net/agideas-2011/newstar) — known to be one of the most prestigious and important design scholarships in Australia for young, up and coming, fantastically amazing, super rad designers. The super quick low down: there’s a call for entries launch party on Thursday the 16th of September held at 1000 Pound Bend in Melbourne. Then, you’ve got until the 15th of November before entries close. Reckon you can pull the best design moves to send yourself on a jetplane to Italy? Read below..

The scholarships include: The Collie Trust Award (http://www NULL.agideas NULL.net/agideas-2011/newstar/collie-print-trust-award) and Fabrica Award (http://www NULL.agideas NULL.net/agideas-2011/newstar/fabrica-award), Italy, each valued at over $5000.00 in airfares and accommodation, plus the invaluable experience of working with a leading design studios.

The Fabrica Award from the Benneton Group Design Studio in Italy provides the winner with airfares, accommodation and a 2 week trial at Fabrica — from which they can be awarded a 12 month scholarship. To be eligible, you must be a true junior — under 25 years of age.

Fabrica (http://www NULL.fabrica NULL.it/) is led by an international team that supports the creative development of young artists / researchers from all over the world. There, the winner will participate in a range of communication activities, in cinema or graphics, design or music, or within new media or photography, as part of Colors Magazine (http://www NULL.colorsmagazine NULL.com/). In its role as a laboratory of applied creativity (its name comes from the Latin word meaning ‘workshop’), Fabrica deals with new forms of communication, following two key principals: hands-on approach to training (the young grant holders are invited to ‘learn by practice’), and a multi-disciplinary approach.

The experience for many of past winners has been life and career changing. 2009 winner, Hamish Smyth completed two weeks work experience with Pentagram NY, and has now been awarded a 12 month internship. 2007 winner, Ben McNamara, believes that ‘winning the NewStar competition really kickstarted everything simply by giving me the confidence to back myself … without it I don’t know where I would be now’.

Students and new graduates are invited to submit their best work in 2D, 3D and multimedia. A panel of leading Melbourne designers will shortlist the entries and the winners will be selected by the international guest presenters from agIdeas 2011 International Design Week.

Shortlisted finalists will be showcased in the agIdeas 2011 Book and in an exhibition at the Melbourne Museum in 2011.

agIdeas 2011 NewStar is part of the annual agIdeas International Design Week.

The agIdeas 2011 NewStar call for entries launch party on Thursday 16 September at 361 Little Lonsdale Street, Melbourne. Entry form can be downloaded from http://www.agideas.net/agideas-2011/newstar (http://www NULL.agideas NULL.net/agideas-2011/newstar) or contact the Design Foundation for further details on 9416 2966. Entries close Monday 15 November 2010.